2 arrested on suspicion of money laundering after record gold seizure by Greater Manchester Police
05/11/2025
Gold bars and jewellery were among a haul worth nearly £2m seized at Manchester Airport.
- Two men have been arrested on suspicion of money laundering after what is thought to be a record seizure of gold by Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
- The two suspects were identified and arrested on Monday night, following an initial investigation, after they arrived back in the UK on an inbound flight.
- The pair, aged 49 and 45, remain in custody for questioning with enquiries ongoing.
- Officers were made aware of a suspicious vehicle at Manchester Airport on 30 October, at around 11.40 pm.
- Seven gold bars were then discovered inside the vehicle, worth an estimated £700,000.
- A further £1m worth of gold and jewellery was discovered after luggage searches.
- A search of an address in Bradford, West Yorkshire, revealed more gold bars worth around £60,000, along with a £30,000 watch and a sum of money.
'We have begun a money laundering operation'
Detective Inspector Sarah Langley, from GMP's economic crime unit, said:
- "Following initial inquiries, we have begun a money laundering investigation and have been working through all information available to us as part of this work.
- "Any discovery of this size is, of course, something we want to explore all reasons for, and our specialist officers are currently determining the reasons for the gold and jewellery being brought into the country.
- "Any offences regarding money or the illegal dealing and possession of goods are something we will simply never tolerate, and we will always act to ensure people are acting within the confines of the law.
- "If this is something that you may know of, please do get in touch with us, as your information could greatly assist with our work."
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As well as owning and publishing Comsure's copyrighted works, Comsure wishes to use the copyright-protected works of others. To do so, Comsure is applying for exemptions in the UK copyright law. There are certain very specific situations where Comsure is permitted to do so without seeking permission from the owner. These exemptions are in the copyright sections of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended)[www.gov.UK/government/publications/copyright-acts-and-related-laws]. Many situations allow for Comsure to apply for exemptions. These include 1] Non-commercial research and private study, 2] Criticism, review and reporting of current events, 3] the copying of works in any medium as long as the use is to illustrate a point. 4] no posting is for commercial purposes [payment]. (for a full list of exemptions, please read here www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright]. Concerning the exceptions, Comsure will acknowledge the work of the source author by providing a link to the source material. Comsure claims no ownership of non-Comsure content. The non-Comsure articles posted on the Comsure website are deemed important, relevant, and newsworthy to a Comsure audience (e.g. regulated financial services and professional firms [DNFSBs]). Comsure does not wish to take any credit for the publication, and the publication can be read in full in its original form if you click the articles link that always accompanies the news item. Also, Comsure does not seek any payment for highlighting these important articles. If you want any article removed, Comsure will automatically do so on a reasonable request if you email info@comsuregroup.com.